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KATHMANDU, JANUARY 31
With urbanization and the growing global population, much focus has been placed on finding solutions for improving solid waste management as a way to curb the growing amounts of waste being generated.
However, governments should instead look at the root cause of the issue and shift toward exploring ways to generate less waste.
Annually, the world generates 2.01 billion tons of municipal solid waste, which includes residential, commercial, and institutional waste, and this is projected to grow to 3.40 billion tons by 2050.
Similarly, plastic production and waste have also been increasing significantly. Each year, nearly 400 million tons of plastic is produced, and this is having significant impacts on the environment.
During the pandemic, single-use plastics are estimated to have increased by about 300%, and combined with unsustainable disposal practices, plastics will continue to have detrimental effects on natural resources and further accelerate climate change, according to The Economist.
A version of this article appears in the print on February 1, 2022, of The Himalayan Times.
